IIM still without campus, hostel

Manmeet Singh Gill

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 13

Even as the third batch of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Amritsar, has been inducted, the absence of a permanent campus, especially hotels, continues to irk students. With the students of the third batch joining this academic session, the strength of students here has reached 145.

For the first two sessions, the students were housed in rented flats near Vallah. From this session, the accommodation has been shifted to another rented building near the Rajasansi airport.

As the work on the building is still incomplete, the students have been adjusted in a nearby hotel, say sources. The classes are being taken on its temporary campus near Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU).

Though the expenses for the accommodation are being taken care of by the institute from the fee charged from the students, Kuldeep Singh Ankhi of the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) said, “The IIMs are institutes of repute. The government’s failure to come up with basic facilities for students is hampering its stature. The government should focus on building the campus with hostel and other facilities at the earliest.”

The institute is also working without a permanent head since its start. Ankhi said, “The government should try to bring the IIM, Amritsar, to the list of top ranked IIMs in the country.”

A student said commuting between the institute and the accommodation resulted in the wastage of a lot of time. “If the campus comes up, the students will get more time for their academics,” he added.

Pawan Kumar Singh, Nodal Officer for the IIM, Amritsar, refused to comment. “I do not want to comment anything on the issue,” he said.